Non-woven webs are currently used in a variety of disposable articles including, but not limited to, feminine hygiene products, diapers, training pants, adult incontinence products and wipes. Disposable wipes comprising non-woven webs are widely used by consumers to clean surfaces, such as glass and ceramic tile, as well to clean the skin of children and adults. Pre-moistened or wet wipes are also known.
Disposable articles, such as wipes, can be discarded by flushing them down a conventional toilet into a sewage or septic system where they may subsequently degrade. This disposal method is convenient and discrete. However, it is desirable that a disposable article, once flushed, readily disperses or breaks apart so that it can pass through a conventional toilet and plumbing system without creating blockages. It is also desirable that the disposable article have adequate structural integrity for its intended use. The balance between dispersibility and in-use strength may be difficult to achieve, particularly when a disposable article is to be used in a pre-moistened application that requires long-term wet storage stability, such as a wet wipe.
Examples of nonwoven webs, methods of manufacturing nonwoven webs, as well as articles comprising nonwoven webs may be found in the art. See, for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,190,502 and 6,544,912; U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0177827 A1; and the wet wipes currently marketed under the “Just for Kids™” and “Kandoo™” brand names.